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Khairy To Meet FAM After Malaysia, Saudi Arabia Match Tuesday

KUALA LUMPUR – Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin will hold a special meeting with the top management of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) after the match between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia Tuesday.

Khairy said the meeting would only be held after the match to ensure the national squad players focused on the match.

He said the meeting was to discuss the poor performance of the Harimau Malaya squad in the Group A, 2018 World Cup and the 2019 Asia Cup qualifiers, including the shameful 10-0 loss to United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, last week.

“I don’t want to hold the meeting with FAM first. I will ask for a report from them on what is happening (to the Harimau Malaya squad).”

He said this at a news conference after launching the 2015 National Sports Development Symposium and the 2017 SEA Games Preparatory Programme at Seri Kembangan, near here, Monday night.

Khairy also urged the FAM top management including its exco line-up to be responsible for the lacklustre performance of the Harimau Malaya squad currently as voiced by former FAM deputy president, Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

“It is not only the president (of FAM) who must be held accountable. The whole leadership of FAM must be responsible for what is happening,” he said.

On another matter, he confirmed that he had received a preliminary report on the road accident involving national highway cycling back-up athlete, Nur Rozi Yanti Mat Rodzi, who is being treated at Kajang Hospital.

He also ordered that the squad’s training be temporarily stopped until an internal investigation committee set up by the National Sports Council (MSN) completed its investigation on the accident.

“I was informed by MSN director-general, Datuk Ahmad Shapawi (Ismail) that the racer has regained consciousness but is still in the intensive care unit. I will visit her tomorrow,” he said.

Meanwhile, Khairy said the overall cost of the 2017 SEA Games Preparatory Programme would only be announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when he tables the 2016 Budget in October.

He said the Cabinet must approve the cost as it was expected to be quite high.

“Once (the 2016) budget is announced by the prime minister in October, we have a better idea on what to do next year (for the 2017 SEA Games Preparatory Programme),” he added.